http://thenationonlineng.net/ekiti-airport-project-oil-palm-farmer-dies-of-shock/
Even before its take-off, the proposed Ekiti airport project has allegedly claimed its first casualty.
An oil palm plantation farmer, Tijani Hakeem, reportedly died from shock after his farm was destroyed by bulldozers.
The Nation gathered exclusively in Ado-Ekiti, the state
capital, yesterday that the government decided to stop the project for
now, following the tension generated by the destruction of economic
trees on the land.
A meeting was held with traditional rulers, community leaders and families in the five villages affected.
The communities affected are Igbemo, Igbogun, Aso Ayegunle, Ijan and
Araromi Obbo spanning three local government areas of Irepodun/Ifelodun,
Ado and Gbonyin.
Secretary of Iwajo Family Oso Olorunfemi, who spoke after the
meeting, said the Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Taelolu Otitoju,
promised to hold an enlarged meeting on the development.
He added that Otitoju, who conveyed the agreement reached to Fayose
through a telephone chat, agreed that work on the site would stop for
now, pending more meetings with interest groups.
Olorunfemi said aggrieved land owners and families met with the
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Works, Ademiloye Fasiku, who
appealed to them to maintain peace and promised that bulldozers would be
withdrawn for now.
He said Fasiku sympathised with them on the economic trees and crops destroyed.
Olorunfemi said: “It is unfortunate that an oil palm plantation
owner, Tijani Hakeem, died from shock, following the destruction of his
economic trees and crops.
“The lives of these people depend on their plantations and we have
told the government repeatedly that the land is not a virgin land.
“The government officials were made to understand that there is
nothing they can give us that is meaningful except adequately
compensating us.
“We told them we should be allowed to harvest the crops before anything is done on the land....
For
the moribund Okitipupa Oil Palm Plc, succour came from Guaranty
Trustbank Plc recently, as a loan of N320 million has been granted the
ailing company to enable it spring back to life
Impeccable
sources disclosed to The Guardian recently that the bank had granted a
loan of N320 to the company to enable it come back to life, out of which
N150 million had been released and spent so far to revive the
company\'s operations.
Besides, the company\'s board was said to have stabilised and members of the board agreed at the meeting held in Lagos at the weekend to return the company to profitability.
To
finally stabilise the company, the board has concluded arrangement to
raise fresh funds though a right issue or a hybrid offering.
A
member of the company\'s board of directors, Chief Aderemi Oyepeju
said: \"The board is stabilised now and at the board meeting held last
weekend there was a roadmap to profitability henceforth.\"
He
continued: \"Very soon, we are coming to the shareholders for a right
issue. There is a cheering news for shareholders that the company has
secured a loan which is about N320 million out of which N150 million has
been released and spent to revive the company\'s operations. There is
great potential in Okitipupa Oil Palm.\"
The
core investors are said to have agreed to take up their rights fully.
Esterpot, a foreign investor is said to have 35 per cent interest in the
company and has already agreed to take their right in full.
Incorporated
on May 10, 1976, the company was listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange
on August 10, 1989, the agriculture sub-sector.
As
at last weekend, the company\'s earning per share stood at o.oo, while
per earning ratio stood at 0.00 and the last time dividend was paid was
September 20, 2003, when it paid seven kobo per share.
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